2005 Joy and Pain

As it happens almost every season when the Pistons fall short, I reminisce to myself and to you about once was. Today I bring you the joy and drama of the 2005 Pistons playoff run.

Remember the Miami series, when all we heard was that the only reason the Pistons won was because Wade was hurt? Remember when the Pistons had to play through the drama of Larry Brown looking for another job in the middle of the Eastern Conference Finals. Remember when Sheed didn’t like the referee’s and made sure he let the entire country know and then gave us a GuaranSheed.

Take a trip down memory lane and revel in the joy of one Antonio McDyess, who looks like the happiest man on the planet…at least for that particular moment.

wow. just wow. i didnt even realize how much i miss this. we sure had something great didnt we? i miss sheed’s honesty. and i love lb repping the yzerman sweater, and chauncey with the tigers hat, too cool. and dyess is so happy, i really want him to get a ring, but i dont think its likely this year with the spurs.
one thing i dont miss is larry brown’s monotone press conferences hahaha. i’d be willing to put up with it, if we could have that same success again tho

for as long as i live, i will never forgive Sheed for leaving Robert Horry open in game 5. Good riddance Sheed. You seemed to be the only individual on planet earth who did not appreciate the need to guard him.

why cant the pistons just release rip?? i know we are giving up an all star shooting guard but this team really has to!! ben gordon was really tearing it up when he was starting! by releasing rip, does this mean that we owe him his guaranteed money??

Releasing Rip won’t solve the problem, unless you want to pay him $40 mill to play for another team for the next three years. That money would also count against the cap, so it would be pretty to find the money for a replacement. It’s gotta be a trade, but his contract is considered one of the most toxic around the league, so we would likely have to include one of young “core” pieces in any deal to unload him.

Rip’s contract is made out to be an albatross, but in reality it is not. It has two full years left and then one partially guaranteed. I have absolutely no doubt that the Pistons can find someone to take him. Minnesota might be looking to trade Big Al and they need a wingman who is a proven scorer. Plenty of contenders would look at Rip and say, “He might be the last piece I need to get over the hump”

Would we need to throw a young piece in there as well? really depends who the trade partner is…if it is a championship contender then probably not. If we are the team getting the “better end of the deal”, then someone like Summers, Daye, or even Stuckey may have to be thrown in as well.

I think throwing in a piece would have more to do with what you want back rather than who you’re dealing with. If you were going to trade for an equally as bad contract like Hedo Turkoglu, you could probably do it straight up. If you wanted to get a younger guy like Marvin Williams, you’d probably have to include draft picks or Daye or something.

Actually, if Joe Johnson bolts for NY, that might not be such an unrealistic scenario, if we didn’t already have CV…. Hawks replace Johnson with Rip and add a young shooter in Daye, we get a big guy who can score…. but having Williams and CV would be redundant.

Releasing Rip won’t solve the problem, unless you want to pay him $40 mill to play for another team for the next three years. That money would also count against the cap, so it would be pretty to find the money for a replacement. It’s gotta be a trade, but his contract is considered one of the most toxic around the league, so we would likely have to include one of young “core” pieces in any deal to unload him.